Sneak Peek Friday - How do you hear Him?

On my art table this week seems to be words, words instead of pictures, but I am sharing anyway (this image is from a class I took in 2009 from Paulette)...


I sat down to begin "writing my process for making a scripture prayer art piece", and immediately began to hear the now familiar flow of words/ideas/thoughts that issue from that inner place that I have come to recognize as that from which the Holy Spirit speaks. "I call to the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. I know when you stand up and sit down. I am there throughout the night watches; I never slumber of sleep." (These thoughts are coming in flashes, along with a flash of the area of scripture this thought comes from.) And as I begin to think about how He is doing this, another flash: "I bring these things to your remembrance".* Yes, I have spent time reading the Scripture, becoming familiar with not just the Words, but the Author of the Words Himself, and He is bringing them forward into my consciousness as He speaks...I am not saying this to say I am some sort of super spiritual person - as you can see from this post, I am not! - but I AM saying this to encourage you, that this is fruit anyone can enjoy, as it is grown from your own life in His Word...and the impression I had as He was speaking the above things to me is that He wanted the readers of these words to know that He was already speaking into your heart's desire of joining Him in the act of creating.

You might ask, "How do you KNOW if these flashes are God speaking or just good ideas from your own heart?" I had that question, too, and at that time (some years ago), my mind was turned towards James 1:17. The verse says, "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow (NAS)." I understood this to mean - at the beginning of this journey of hearing His voice - that I could
ascribe those "good thoughts" to Him, since the gift of a good thought was from Him! And I knew the test that His true voice would not contradict what was revealed in Scripture, and a wise and seasoned Holy Spirit filled friend could help confirm or direct what I thought I might be hearing...and I went forward in the journey with some confidence...

One of the major issues in the process of hearing God in developing a piece of artwork is the sheer fact of trusting Him to care for and speak into the art our hearts are longing to create...here is my prayer of contrition for not believing this part of life was important to Him, elevating my own pointless fears over His gentle leadings, and committing to entrust myself to Him anew (you might recognize the influence of James 1:17!):

Father of lights, Thank you for shining the light of Your glory into my heart, keeping the creative part of my spirit in Your warm embrace until I could see what You have always known. Forgive my pride - which always implies that somehow I am wiser than You; and whose voice is usually discouraging me from the vision You have purposed! I open my heart wide to You, my Lord and my Savior! I embrace Your desire to share Your strength, Your joy, Your creativity, Your love, Your vision... with me! Let Your influence - that of the Great Master Artist and Creator - be visible through me!

A prayer like this helps attune my heart and mind to His Spirit within...yet you might want something more rooted in Scripture, so here are some of the places I like to go to and personalize for myself:

Holy Spirit, open up the kingdom of God in my heart: 
the blessings of righteousness and peace and joy through Your Presence.
adapted from Romans 14:17

May You, the God of hope, fill me with all joy and peace in believing, 
so that I will abound in the hope of inspiration 
by the power of Your Holy Spirit.
adapted from Romans 15:13

I have received the Holy Spirit who is from God, 
so that I may know the things freely given to me by God.
adapted from 1 Corinthians 2:12

* verses that contain these thoughts (in consecutive order): Psalm 50, Psalm 139:2, Psalm 121:4, John 14:26

Joining other creative people at Sneak Peek Friday (click button to go)